She delivered an introduction to Newt Gingrich at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday. And on Tuesday, Gingrich delivered her first solo performance as a campaign surrogate for her husband by speaking to a group of Republican women at a burger chain here.

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Reading from handwritten notes and stumbling at times through her five-minute remarks, she explained that her time on the trail has been met with both criticism and warmth.

“It has been very encouraging to meet so many people who generally believe in the greatness of our country,” she said. “Newt and I are engaged in this race because we believe America is at a crossroads.”

Gingrich then posed for photos in a blue-skirt and gold jewelry as the roughly 25 attendees filed past, even taking a few questions from reporters, chatting first about the burgers.

“We’re looking toward Super Tuesday,” she said when asked about the progress of the campaign. “We’re encouraged. We’re working. And as I said earlier, this race has been a roller coaster. And so we’re just going to keep working as hard as we can, keep moving forward.”

Until now, Gingrich has remained the mostly silent, if steady — and always impeccably coiffed — campaign wife. Unlike other more vocal political spouses, Gingrich’s speaking engagements have been limited to reading her children’s books at schools and hospitals.

But as her husband’s campaign takes yet another turn and is struggling to regain momentum, Gingrich is assuming an increasingly more prominent and public role in the campaign. Her first tentative steps into the spotlight came this week in California, where Newt Gingrich went to fundraise after his war chest was depleted by bruising battles in South Carolina and Florida.

“I enjoy meeting people. I enjoy speaking,” Callista said of the new exposure. “This is a good time to do it.”

Newt Gingrich’s campaign strategist Kellyanne Conway said Callista will continue to step up and expand her role, explaining that the campaign has been receiving requests from people who want to see more ofher.

“There has been a hunger for a while for people to spend more time with and get to know better Callista,” she said. “I’m all for it.”

Conway said that Callista will also start granting more interviews to female-friendly publications, including People and Us Weekly magazines.

Conway said that Gingrich, who is from Wisconsin, had kept a low-profile so far because of her natural shyness that can be attributed to her “Midwestern sensibilities.”
“She seems that she recognizes her husband is the candidate and [people are] there to hear from him,” Conway said. “She doesn’t call attention to herself. She never tries to be the life of the party or the subject of the conversation.”

Campaign spokesman R.C. Hammond added that it was the first time that Gingrich has been exposed to the national media.

“An often overlooked point: This is Callista’s first campaign,” Hammond said. “Yes, she has helped out as a staffer in Wisconsin, but not as a spouse. Compared to Mrs. Perry, Huntsman, Romney, etc., who all have years of experience on the trail as first ladies of a state."

Hammond said the campaign first realized that Gingrich was comfortable with retail politics at a Fourth of July parade in Clear Lake, Iowa.

I can't believe Republicans are supporting an admitted adultress and her husband who lacks all morals to be President. This woman knowingly had an affair with a married man and broke up a marriage and she now has the gall and arrogrance to believe she should be a role model for the women and girls of this nation. What a joke. Just the type of family values and morals all Americans should believe in and teach our sons and daughters.

Callista wasn't 'shy' when she was having a 6 year affair with gingrich...she promised him she would get gingrich into the White House one day...and so he left his wifei--callista and newt deserve each other but they do not deserve the trust of the American people nor do they deserve the White House...people want to meet Callista because they are curious about the woman who broke up a marriage...eventually she will be confronted about her devious behavior...she, like newt, consider anyone who questions her a 'nasty' person...wasn't she 'nasty' when she broke up a marriage...????

Newt broke his marriage vows. Callista was 23 years his junior. While I don't approve of what she did those many years ago, i don't hold it against her either.

PS: Newt's attack on religion (doing whatever he wanted outside his marriage vows and then asking forgiveness) is much more dishonest then his claim that President Obama has declared war on religion! President Obama is attempting to support the needs of women's reproductive health - Newt is using his current religion to justify his seedy behavior!

I WONDER what type of MOTORCYCLE HELMET,,CALLISTA GINGRICH WEARS as SHE RIDES her BIKE EVERYDAY it SEEMS ,,everywhere she goes on the campaign trail.. and if she is afraid of injury even when she is not riding her MOTORCYCLE,, i WEAR A MOTORCYCLE HELMET,, too also,, like CALLISTA ,, BUT ONLY when RIDING ,, She has a interesting white HELMET also. , which SHE wears ALL the TIME ,everywhere SHE GOES ,, THAT seems very STRANGE to ME

"Impeccably coiffed"? Please. The only sillier thing I've seen this year on someone's head were the helmets the Oregon Ducks wore in the Rose Bowl. And I think the thing on Callista's head probably is harder and thus gives more protection. I've seen images of her when she was the young mistress and she was much more attractive without the "impeccable coiffure."

"Impeccably coiffed"? Please. The only sillier thing I've seen this year on someone's head were the helmets the Oregon Ducks wore in the Rose Bowl. And I think the thing on Callista's head probably is harder and thus gives more protection. I've seen images of her when she was the young mistress and she was much more attractive without the "impeccable coiffure."

Poor Tramp.... the moment she open her mouth to speak...sound like a tramp.... no remose nor sorry for what she has done.... that uglt looking blonde wired hairdo must be a wig as it has never changed since day 1... the tiffany jewellry on her looks oh soo fake... and ugly on her

What are all these women THINKING as they smile and applaud? "I love her dress!" " I wonder how much that necklace cost?" " How does she keep her roots touched up on the road?" "She is SO much like me! I, too, used to give my husband mouth hugs in his car before he divorced his last wife!"

Every time I look at her, I think of her pushing Newts sweaty gut out of the way so she could service him like a twenty-dollar whore on the stroll. Republicans: An entirely new kind of reprehensible you never even thought of.

I could POSSIBLY understand if her and Newt met...lightning struck...and he was divorced and re-married in few months...This could POSSIBLY be explained away as meeting your soul mate.

But they snuck around for 7 YEARS....Just imagine the level of duplicity and dishonesty that was required to maintain this affair for that long....How many times did Newt tell his wife 'I love you' during this period?..How many undercover booty calls in sleazy motels did they arrange? over the course of 7 YEARS?

She's a HO...plain and simple.

And this from the party of 'Family Values'..what a bunch of scummy hypocrites...